But without ramped-up protection efforts, it warns much of that could be at risk as the reef suffers from repeated mass coral bleaching events, poor water quality and climate change.

The reef is critical to supporting economic activity and jobs in Australia, says the report, prepared for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The livelihoods and businesses it supports across Australia far exceeds the numbers supported by many industries we would consider too big to fail.

Of the 64,000 jobs linked to the reef, 39,000 are direct jobs making the reef a bigger employer than the likes of Telstra, the Qantas Group, National Australia Bank and the oil and gas extraction industry.